Review on Design & Development of Filament Making Setup for FDM 3D Printer from Waste Plastic Bottle

Abstract

Deposition Modeling, or FDM, is a popular method for 3D printing technology capable of constructing intricate 3D models purely based on a design. Recently, there has been a shift towards using FDM for mass production purposes due to the evolution of 3D printing materials making it easier to create unique products for personal and commercial purposes. Particularly, conductive thermoplastic composites are used to make sensors and electronic parts for incorporation into the 3D printed structures. Nevertheless, the FDM printed parts can have some issues such as weak interlayer adhesion among the constituent layers, from which the mechanical strength of the printed objects is reduced. In this case, heat treatment procedures aimed at increasing interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) of fiber-reinforced PEEK composites have been proposed. Evidence suggests that controlling heat treatment rates yields robust improvement of the FDM parts performance.

Introduction

Additive manufacturing using Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) is growing due to its ability to create complex shapes with minimal waste. The filament, typically made from materials like PLA and ABS, is crucial but often expensive and environmentally problematic. With rising plastic pollution, especially from PET bottles, recycling these wastes into 3D printing filament offers a sustainable solution aligned with circular economy principles.

This project aims to develop a cost-effective system to convert waste PET bottles into consistent, high-quality filament for FDM printers. The system includes shredding, extrusion, heating, cooling, and spooling components. Benefits include reducing filament costs and managing plastic waste effectively, useful for educational and small-scale manufacturing sectors.

The problem addressed is the environmental impact of plastic waste and virgin plastic filaments used in 3D printing. Key objectives involve designing the mechanical framework, producing uniform filament (1.75 mm ± 0.05 mm), and evaluating the recycled filament’s mechanical and thermal properties.

The literature review identifies gaps such as inconsistent filament quality, lack of large-scale feasibility studies, limited real-world testing, and insufficient focus on sustainability and automation in FDM filament recycling.

The methodology involves collecting, cleaning, cutting PET bottles, then extruding, cooling, and spooling the filament to produce a usable 3D printing material.

Conclusion

The reviewed literature collectively emphasizes the growing interest and potential of converting waste PET bottles into 3D printer filament as an eco-friendly and cost-effective solution. Tylman and Dzier?ek successfully demonstrated a simple, low-cost machine for filament production, showcasing a practical approach to plastic recycling. However, major research gaps persist across studies, including: 1) Inconsistent filament quality and insufficient real-time testing during 3D printing. 2) Lack of standardization, mechanical and thermal performance assessment, and automated quality control mechanisms. 3) Minimal evaluation of economic feasibility, scalability, and long-term sustainability of using recycled materials. 4) Limited focus on advanced materials, hybrid printing techniques, and multi-material FDM capabilities. 5) Inadequate integration of AI-based optimization, real-time monitoring, and circular economy models. 6) Environmental assessments often ignore reuse and upcycling strategies, as well as regional policy impacts. Thus, while initial findings and prototypes show great promise, future research must focus on material consistency, technological enhancements, real-world application validation, and environmental and economic assessments to enable the scalable, sustainable, and efficient production of 3D printing filament from waste plastics.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Sandeep Raut, Sujal Bandre, Shubham Sapkal. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.